1. Introduction
This invention relates to metallization of substrates in a selective pattern using ligating surfaces catalytic to electroless metal deposition. Selectively metallized layers formed in accordance with the invention may be used for diverse purposes including the manufacture of electronic devices by plasma etching or by additive plating.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Selective metallization procedures for electronic manufacture are known in the art. A process for plasma etching a substrate is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,318 incorporated herein by reference. In accordance with the processes of this patent, a suitable substrate, such as an electronic base material, is coated with a radiation-sensitive photoresist composition. The photoresist coating is then pattern imaged. Thereafter, and before development, the surface of the photoresist is contacted with an electroless plating catalyst. The photoresist coating is then contacted with a developer whereby plating catalyst adsorbed onto developer soluble portions of the coating is removed with solubilized photoresist. Plating catalyst remains on those portions of the coating that are insoluble in developer. This results in formation of a catalytic coating in an image pattern that conforms to the developed photoresist coating. The imaged catalytic coating is then metallized by contact with an electroless plating solution to form a thin metallic layer. The entire article is then subjected to plasma etching. The thin metallic layer functions as an etch barrier whereby the substrate is altered in a reverse image of the metallic layer. The remaining photoresist coating with the metallic layer may then be removed by contact with a photoresist stripper.
A selective metallization process for manufacture of printed circuit boards is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,860, incorporated herein by reference. In the process of this patent, a substrate is coated with a photoresist layer. The photoresist is then pattern imaged and developed to form a relief image. The article is then contacted with an electroless plating catalyst. The catalyst is adsorbed onto all surfaces with which it comes into contact, i.e., the side-walls of the photoresist and the underlying substrate. The top surface of the photoresist is then flood exposed. The catalytic layer adsorbed on the top surface of the photoresist coating is then removed by surface development. Catalyst remains in surfaces not exposed to activating radiation, i.e., the recesses within the photoresist relief image and on the bared substrate surface. Electroless metal may then be deposited over the catalyzed surfaces whereby the walls of the relief image and the substrate become metallized. With continued plating, the entire volume of the recesses may be filled with deposited metal.
Another approach to selective metallization is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,600, incorporated herein by reference. In accordance with this patent, metal pathways are formed on the surface of a substrate by a process that comprises formation of a self-assembled monomolecular radiation reactive layer. Preferred materials are characterized by a polar end, a non-polar opposite end with a reactive moiety at or near its terminus, and an intermediate region typically composed of saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon chains. Organosilanes are a preferred class of materials. Thereafter, the reactivity of the terminus reactive groups on the film are altered in a selective pattern by exposure to imaged radiation to cause photolytic cleavage or transformation of the reactive terminus groups. Since irradiation is in a pattern, the reactivity of the monomolecular layer is altered in a corresponding image pattern. In one embodiment, differential reactivity comprises creation of hydrophobic-hydrophilic regions in the pattern. The surface is then contacted with an electroless plating catalyst. Since the catalyst is an aqueous based material, it will selectively absorb on the hydrophilic portions of the monomolecular layer. The substrate may then be metal plated by contact with an electroless plating solution with metal depositing only over catalytic sites in the desired image pattern.
An improvement to the procedures of U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,085 is disclosed in published European Patent Application, publication No. 0,510,711, incorporated herein by reference. In accordance with preferred procedures of this application, a process for selective metallization comprises the steps of formation of a layer over a substrate having a terminus group capable of bonding with a catalyst precursor. Preferably, the terminus group is a metal ion binding or ligating group, and the layer is a self-assembled film having a terminus ligating group. Following formation of the ligating layer and imaging of the same using procedures analogous to the procedures of the above-cited U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,600, the surface contains regions having reactive ligand groups in a desired image pattern. This layer is then contacted with a catalyst precursor solution such as a solution of palladium ions. The ions bond with the ligating groups of the ligating layer. Subsequent contact of the layer with an electroless plating catalyst containing a suitable reducing agent results in selective electroless metal deposition of metal onto the ligating layer in the desired pattern.